by Casey Wyatt
“You were on my mind, that’s all.” She yawned in my ear.
I resisted the urge to yawn back. “I’m fine. Same old, same old.” Which was true. Supernatural monsters attempting to kill me had become old hat. Selene didn’t need to know that part.
“I’m sorry we missed the charity ball,” she said, apologizing for the tenth time.
“You don’t have to keep rubbing it in about how you got out of it this year,” I joked.
“Grace didn’t see it that way. She kept telling me that I needed to be there to watch your back. Imagine that? She’s already jaded.”
“More like astute.” Before Selene could steer the conversation into what I viewed to be uncomfortable areas like why her daughter would be worried about me I switched to our favorite mutual subject. “How’s Grace these days?”
“She’s excited about kindergarten. Already she’s driving me crazy about a backpack and clothes. I can’t believe she’s going to school. Where did the time go?”
I listened to Selene talk, reveling in the normalcy of everyday conversation. My reality had turned so far left of ordinary, that any chance to not discuss the supernatural or the family’s legacy was a relief.
Reluctantly we said our goodbyes. It was hard for us to be so far apart from each other, but it couldn’t be helped. It was a relief to know that she was far away from all the craziness in my life. I pocketed the phone and took stock of my surroundings. During the conversation, I’d walked to the training center.
The last time I’d been inside was after the museum attack. The night I’d picked claws out of Luca’s neck and back.
“Shit!” I hauled the door open and clicked on the lights. How could I have been so dense? I raced over to the trash barrel. Damn. Empty. For once I wanted to curse the efficiency of the staff. Even my tools had been put back into the toolbox.
Then I remembered. The first claw I removed had landed in the box. After Luca had healed, we’d been otherwise occupied for me to think about tossing the thing.
Please. I hope no one noticed and left it there.
I flipped the metal lid open and rummaged around. Amidst all the cold metal, my fingers warmed telling me I’d found it. Awareness raced through my palms and fingers, my power itching to be released. I wish I’d thought of it sooner, but, hey, at least I made the connection. The moment the claw left the Jiang Shi’s body, it had become an object and could be read. I hoped Lillian left coherent impressions behind.
After sitting comfortably on the floor, I took a deep cleansing breath and opened my senses. And nothing happened. Not possible. I stared at my traitorous palms.
“Oh, come on!” I closed my eyes and concentrated on Lillian. With a painful sting, the brands flared to life. Vitriol-laced venom invaded every nerve ending of my body and I lost all sense of place and time.
Green mountains thrust into the sky, like dragon’s teeth. A yellow river, the waters turbulent, destroying thatched huts and the unfortunate peasants trapped inside. A red-tiled pagoda, the gardens decorated with shrubs teeming with pink and white blossoms
Then it was gone too.
War, famine, death. We flee to the shining new land. America.
My twin brother, Zihou, the heroic son, laboring in the hot sun to earn us a living.
He calls my name—Meixiu—which means beautiful grace. My beauty, which was revered in China, now only earns me a position scrubbing floors as a maid for a Gweilo—the white devil. We are beneath them. Not equal because we are Chinese.
We endure. Eventually, Zihou and I save enough money to open a shop. Years pass. There is sadness, prosperity, even joy. We each marry. Children are born. Some live. Some die. We endure.
Zihou dies of sickness. His children honor him as is his right. His spirit rests.
I miss him. But I am Chinese. I swallow my tears.
My skin wrinkles with age. I am no longer a fair beauty. One day, the God of Death comes for me. I am happy to go. My children and their children honor me as is my right.
I know peace.
We are forgotten. Fury boils against my breast. Then, he calls us. We are free.
He needs our help. A new hunger takes us. To consume flesh. By killing we live again. We destroy –
Tiny sharp pinches jerked me away from the abyss before Lillian’s or Meixiu’s blackness consumed my soul.
I refocused my attention, remembering my purpose. Where are you? Pushing away the memories, I zoomed to the last place she was before the museum. For a moment, I couldn’t comprehend what I was seeing. Dark, slime-coated walls encased me. The smell of mold choked my throat. A tunnel? Maybe a coffin? None of those felt right.
I swiveled my mental eye sideways, hoping a new angle would help. The solution was so close I could almost touch it . . .
“Radiance!”
The world rocked back and forth, then the vision popped like bubble.
Luca lightly tapped my cheek. “Wake up, annwyl!”
“I’m not sleeping.” I propped upright on my elbows, letting the claw fall to the ground.
“Very clever. Did it work?” He frowned. “Though I wished you’d woken me first. You could have been hurt.”
The empathic thing. I had kind of forgotten in the rush to find the Jiang Shi. “Her real name is Meixiu. She and her brother emigrated here around the turn of the twentieth century. They lived and died in the area. She seemed content until someone yanked her out of the underworld.”
“Allen?” Luca scraped the stubble on his chin. His hair was mussed from sleep and he’d thrown on a pair of gray workout pants. I felt a bit guilty for the small scare I’d given him.
“I’m not sure. I mean, probably it was him, but I don’t think he’s controlling her.”
“At least not anymore.”
“No. She has her own agenda.” I turned the claw over in my hand.
All through breakfast, I tried to recapture that last clue I’d almost grasped before Luca had interrupted me. It was as elusive as trying to hold water in my bare hands. I nursed my second steaming mug of coffee, hoping a little java would do the trick.
Twenty more minutes and not a thing. I twirled a lock of my hair into a tight corkscrew, the answer so close. Where was she? Where was Allen? And that blasted jar.
“I’m off to shower. Care to join me?” Luca asked, running a finger across the nape of my neck.
“In a minute,” I said, kissing his palm. Five more minutes, then I’d give up.
“See you in a few then.” He walked away with me watching the fine rearview.
Another twenty minutes passed with no answer. I knocked back the rest of the coffee, then conceded defeat and stood up.
“Ms. Ashworth,” a female voice called me. Sonya, the head housekeeper. “Your cousin is on the phone for you. Says the matter is urgent.”
Like I didn’t have enough to deal with. “I’ll take it up in my room,” I said in my best cheery voice. It wasn’t her fault that I had much bigger matters to deal with than family business. It probably wasn’t even important.
I was halfway up the stairs when I realized I didn’t ask which cousin it was. And then it occurred to me. I didn’t have to deal with whatever issue or problem they wanted resolved. I had an entire army of staff and CEO’s of the various companies to assist me. I’d have to remember it for next time. It wouldn’t do to be rude now.
Once I was in my room, I picked up the handset. I didn’t even get to say hello.
“Radiance? You there?” a man whispered into the phone, his breathing rapid and heavy.
“Yes. Who is this?” I couldn’t place the voice. Static cracked and popped distorting the reception.
“I’m in big trouble. I have what you’re looking for, but you have to help me.” The last bit came out on a high
note.
“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me where you are.”
“Luca knows! I’m on assignment for him. Ask him. Hurry!” More static followed by more heavy breathing. He rasped into the phone, “I don’t know how much longer I can stay hidden.”
“Fine. Stay on the line.” I put him on hold and ran to Luca’s room.
Steam smacked me in the face when I opened his door. Crikey, how hot was the shower?
“Luca?” No answer. I wasn’t surprised. He probably couldn’t hear me. I passed the walk-in closet and stopped dead in my tracks. The doorway to Wales was there in plain sight. Luca would never leave it exposed like that.
What the hell?
Cold steel jabbed into my jugular at the same time a man vise-gripped my arms, trapping them behind my back.
“Hurry, cousin. I need your help!” said the same whiny voice from the phone.
Hell and damn. I was a class-A moron sometimes.
“Let me go, Reg. Right now.”
“Not yet, cousin. You will listen to me first.” Reg cinched his hold tighter. The knife pressed painfully into my skin. “I have what you’re looking for.”
“What? A new cousin who isn’t an asshat?”
He dragged the blade down the side of my throat opening a seam. Hot blood trailed down my neck and onto my shirt collar. “Don’t fuck with me, Radiance. I know your secret. You will pass the Legacy onto me. Or someone you love will suffer.”
Seven different kinds of panic pumped through me. “What have you done? Where’s Luca?”
“I have him running off to rescue you. He received a similar phone call. By the time he discovers what’s going on, he’ll get big surprise.”
Not as big a surprise as Reg was about to be delivered when I kicked his ass. I jammed my foot hard into his inner ankle then his shin with bone-bruising force. He shrieked. The knife jerked into my neck, narrowly missing my windpipe. I could heal, but not in enough time to stop Reg.
“You stupid bitch!” Reg threw me away from him.
I turned around. A thousand volts of electricity surged into my body. I lost control and fell to the ground, too agonized to even scream.
“How do you like your own stun gun?” He dropped the weapon and grabbed my ankles. “I tried to tell you, but you didn’t listen. Get the jar.”
The closet ceiling came into my view. He lifted me upright like a limp ragdoll and placed my palm against the Wales door.
At my touch, it swung open. The pain receded in my feet and hands. I was so going to fuck his shit up.
“I bet you’re wondering why I’m sending you through there. I need you to get the damn jar and I think it’s through this door.”
If my mouth had worked I would have told him he was a moron. He obviously had no clue that the door led to Wales and the Alkhari realm. I had no idea how he found out about it, but one problem at a time. Sensation returned to my mouth and vocal cords.
“Reg, you really need to listen to me. Lillian is not who you think she is,” I said through numb lips.
“Shut up,” he said, then chucked me over the threshold. My immobilized body landed in the damp grass.
“You have no idea what you’re dealing with!” I yelled as he slammed the door, leaving me slumped on the ground like a limp sack. At least I wasn’t facedown in the dirt.
The door winked out of existence.
“Fuck!” Healing was taking too damn long. On a normal day, I would have enjoyed the bucolic view and the sun warming my skin. Given the circumstances, it was kind of hard to summon the enthusiasm.
Way off in the distance, I could see the castle. There was no well to tell if anyone was home.
“Help! Is anyone there?” I hoped they could hear me, even though I knew those walls were thick and solid. I doubted even Alkhari hearing was good enough to penetrate them.
When no one rushed to my rescue, panic took hold. Luca would have already walked into their trap. He’d better be okay. If anything happened to him, I’d go crazy. Closing my eyes, I tried meditation. Breathe in, breathe out. Mind blank. Little by little, the paralysis receded. I had no idea my own gun could do that to me, despite Luca’s attempts to sensitize me. Of course Reg had turned it up to maximum voltage, the douche.
“She’s over here!”
I jerked out of my trance and squinted at the castle. Two men were running down the gravel path headed straight toward me. Luca’s brothers. Thank you, God!
“I’m over here!” With a giant heave, I waved my rubbery arm.
“Would you look at that, brother?” Dylon said. At least I think it was him. He gripped under my armpits.
“Fancy finding you out here, lovely sister-in law,” Gaven said, taking my legs.
Together, they stood me upright between them. When they hoisted me to their full height, I dangled between them like a fish on a hook. “Off we go. Luca is mighty worried about you.”
They jogged back to castle and had me inside so fast, my equilibrium told me I was still outside. They gently deposited me on the chaise lounge. My cheeks flamed red as I thought about the last time I’d been on this furniture and what Luca and I had shared there.
“Are you injured? Your face is all flushed.” Dylon placed his palm on my forehead. “Fix her one of Mam’s toddies.”
Gaven nodded and left the room.
I played along, not about to tell the real reason for my heated complexion.
“Is Luca okay?” I flexed, bending my elbows, then my knees. The effects of the gun were almost completely gone. Something about being around Luca’s brothers seemed to quicken the healing process.
“A bit brassed off, but otherwise he’s fine. It took him all of two seconds to realize he’d been had. He high-tailed it back to the mansion, but you were already gone.” Gaven handed me a mug of steaming liquid. “Bottoms up. This will fix you right and good.”
Hot and sweet with a healthy dose of liquor, I sipped it slowly. “I need to go home.”
“Aye, sweet sister, you will. As soon as we’re convinced you can move on your own,” Dylon said.
“Why isn’t Luca here?” It was his magic door. He should have been able to open it.
Dylon and Gaven exchanged long looks with each other.
“Tell me. Right now.” I put my feet on the floor, ready to leave.
Gaven responded first. “He’s been delayed on account of the fire.”
Chapter 17
People do not lack strength, they lack will.
I know it’s wrong to want to murder someone in cold blood. But I was about to make an exception for Reg. He’d better run next time I saw him.
“Is everyone all right?” I stood, testing the strength of my legs. Still weak and watery. Great.
“Yes. The fire suppression system activated and it didn’t spread past the closet in Luca’s room.” Gaven offered me his arm. I politely declined.
“I imagine the place reeks of smoke now,” Dylon added.
“Shut it, you stupid gob.” Gaven poked his brother in the arm. “That’s not helping.”
Before a full-blown brotherly scuffle started, I asked, “Can you help me back to the doorway?”
“Of course we can,” Dylon sniffed. “I’d be happy to do the honors.”
“I can’t wait to see the look on Luca’s face,” Gaven said, sounding downright giddy.
I gave them both my best—enough already—stare, all the while wondering why Luca wasn’t attacked. Were they afraid of him? Or up to something worse? My gut voted for something worse.
The brothers escorted me to the doorway, debating the entire time how best to annoy Luca. I shook my head, thanking my stars I only had a sister. These two would drive a sane person to drink. I’d have to remember to sleep with one eye open
next time they stayed over. Who knew what mischief they could cause? I smiled. Thinking about them gave me at least a moment or two of relief before facing the real world.
And I suspected they knew. Underneath all the boyish bluster were two warriors. Their bodies moved with the same sleek grace and awareness as Luca. Dylon stopped on the path and raised his hand and spoke a few melodic words. The air shimmered and the door appeared.
“Wait!” I grabbed each of their hands. “Thank you for rescuing me.”
They both grew serious, a predatory glint in their eyes. Gaven lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles. “It’s our honor, dear sister.”
Dylon turned the doorknob. “Be safe, Radiance.” The door swung open and Luca stood on the other side. “And try to keep knob head alive.”
Even though Luca scowled, I saw a smile in his eyes. “Diolch yn fawr, my brothers.” He opened his arms and I stepped into his embrace. A shower of furtive kisses rained down on me, leaving me breathless. When we came up for air, so to speak, acrid fumes stung my eyes.
“Reg got away didn’t he?” The fire, no doubt, a final parting shot to cover his escape.
“He will be punished,” Luca said, deadly menace in his voice. “I know he is your kin, but I cannot suffer what he did to you.” He fingered the bloodstain caking my shirt collar.
For a moment, I entertained the thought. Reg should die. But I couldn’t live with Luca doing it vigilante style. “I’d prefer to let the Higher Power judge him.”
Luca snarled, as if a caged beast rested inside him and it didn’t like what I’d said. “As you wish. For now.”
“We need to find that jar. I know Allen is the key.”
“Up for a field trip?” Luca snugged me close.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Moments later, we stood outside of Allen’s restaurant. Since no one had seen him, we returned to the place where he spent the most time—his office. The windows were dark and a big sign announced, CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
